It's All a Matter of Leverage
by battlemaiden518
Summary: To stop a terrorist known as Pendragon, the government takes his younger brother Colin Morgan (Merlin) hostage as leverage. Inspired by season 3 of the show 24. Modern AU. No slash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Inspired by season 3 of the show ****_24 _****and reading the summary of a story that I just saw on the Merlin Archive in which Arthur is part of the mafia. Thanks to the author of that story! =) The story title is from ****_Pirates of the Caribbean. _****xD**

**Disclaimer: I own neither ****_Merlin _****(sadly) nor ****_24 _****(thankfully) nor ****_Pirates of the Caribbean_****.**

**I'm probably going to fail at doing the government stuff, though xD**

**The characters all have the names of their actors from the show in this story. Also, in this story, characters that are related in the show are not necessarily related. For instance, Uther is not Arthur's father.**

**Just in case you don't know:**

**Uther- Anthony Head**

**Leon- Rupert Young**

**Arthur- Bradley James**

**Merlin- Colin Morgan**

**Ygraine- Alice Head (in this story)**

**Mithian- Janet Montgomery**

**Morgana- Katie McGrath**

**Gwaine- Eoin Macken**

**Gwen- Angel Coulby**

**Morgause- Emilia Fox**

Anthony Head, director of the Chicago branch of the Department of Defense, dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his forehead, groaning tiredly. It had been three weeks since a terrorist who identified himself only as "Pendragon" had started targeting local government agencies, and they were no closer to finding him, except for a name- Bradley James, which had led to no additional clues other than a bank account.

A knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," he called wearily.

The door opened, and Rupert Young, Head's ginger-haired assistant director, stepped in. "Janet just found out something about James that could be important."

"What is it?" Anthony sat up straight, his exhaustion clearing.

"She was investigating his bank transfers, and he kept sending money to an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago named Colin Morgan. So she looked into it, and it turns out Morgan is his brother."

"His brother?" Anthony was fully awake now. "He obviously cares about the boy if he's sending him money. Find out where he lives. Maybe we could use him as leverage."

Nodding, Rupert quickly stepped from the room, and Anthony leaned back in his chair, allowing himself a smile. Perhaps this investigation was not as hopeless as it had first seemed.

-Merlin-

"Your car's broken _again_?"

"Yes, it won't start!" cried Alice Head in frustration.

Her husband, on the other end of the phone, sighed. "Alright. I'll take it over to the place when I get home. You know, your car problems would be solved if you bought a new one instead of keeping that old piece of junk."

"I don't want a new one," his wife argued obstinately.

Anthony shook his head in exasperated amusement. "I…"

The door burst open and Rupert stumbled in. "James has struck again!" he cried. "There was a bomb at the police headquarters!"

"Alice, I have to go. I'll talk to you later," said the director quickly, hanging up. Rising, he tore open his desk drawer and pulled out his revolver. "Let's go."

-Merlin-

"So what's going on?"

Katie McGrath, director of the Chicago branch of the FBI, glanced up as Anthony approached. She was standing by the entrance to the police headquarters, talking to an officer. Her assistant Eoin Macken, who never ceased to annoy Anthony, was at her side, discussing something with a member of a bomb squad. The DOD agent found himself absently wondering if the rumors of the two of them being in a relationship were true.

Katie looked away from the police officer and reported to Head, "Bomb went off in the sheriff's office about twenty minutes ago. It was in a package left by a false repair crew. Twelve dead, twenty-seven injured, and ten unaccounted for."

"How do we know it was James?" demanded Anthony.

"We managed to capture one of the repair crew, an African American woman named Angel Coulby. She confirmed it."

"You have a prisoner?" exclaimed Anthony. "Where is she?"

"She's being taken to our office now for interrogation," replied Katie. "Macken and I were about to head back over there now. You and Young can come along."

Upon hearing his name, Macken turned toward the DOD members. "Hey, Tony!" he said with a broad grin, knowing how much Head despised the nickname. Anthony gritted his teeth, wishing it was not a crime to assault a federal agent.

"This is getting out of control," Katie said, shaking her head. "James has killed over one hundred and fifty government workers by now and injured hundreds of others."

"We just found out some information that could be useful," Rupert stated as the four approached the FBI limousine in which Katie and Eoin had arrived. "James has a younger brother. We were thinking perhaps we could use the boy as leverage."

"There's probably some regulation against that," Eoin taunted, grinning, as he slipped into the limousine.

Anthony clenched his jaw. He would _not _punch Macken. He would _not._

-Merlin-

The director of the Chicago branch of the DOD leaned against the one-way glass, watching as Emilia Fox, an FBI agent, circled the terrorist's chair almost predatorily.

"So, Angel," murmured the blond woman, "how well do you know Bradley James?"

Anthony scowled. Something about Emilia sent chills up his spine.

The young curly-haired woman handcuffed to the chair ignored the other woman.

"Emilia, ask about James' brother," Katie instructed suddenly.

The blond woman pressed her finger to her earpiece, listening. Giving a brief nod, she turned to the terrorist and said, "Angel... what do you know about Colin Morgan?"

The young woman's head snapped up. "What?" she gasped in shock.

"Yes, we know about James' brother. What do you know about him?"

"I know that you should stay away from him," replied Angel, her eyes narrowing threateningly.

"And why is that?" said Emilia coolly, raising a golden eyebrow.

"Because, first of all, he has nothing to do with this," snapped Angel defensively. "He's innocent."

Katie and Anthony exchanged a glance of surprise at the young woman's protectiveness, and a half smile lifted the FBI agent's mouth.

"And second," continued Angel, her tone growing threatening again, "if you so much as touch him, Bradley will make what's happened so far seem like a Sunday picnic in the park."

Eoin laughed out loud at the declaration, and Katie turned to the DOD agents, smirking. "I believe you have found James' weakness."

"Rupert," said Anthony, unable to keep back in the excitement in his voice, "why don't we have this Colin pay us a visit?"

**A/N: So… what did you think? Good? Terrible? Should I continue this story? Please let me know! I know this chapter was short, but I'm just kind of... testing the waters before I get going. =)**

**Also, I know it seems OOC for Arthur to be a terrorist, but there's a good reason for it. xD**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm really sorry about how long this took me to update! =( You'd think, since I'm on holiday and all, I'd have time to write, but no. xp**

**The response to this story was overwhelming- I never expected so many people to like it! Thank you so much! And thanks to the guest reviewers and the few reviews I didn't get a chance to reply to. They mean the world to me. =)**

**Disclaimer: I own neither ****_Merlin, 24, _****nor ****_Pirates of the Caribbean._**

**In case you don't know…**

**Lancelot- Santiago Cabrera**

**Nimueh- Michelle Ryan**

**George- Leander Deeny**

**Freya- Laura Donnelly**

Chapter 2

"Really, Colin? Of all the places to meet me, you choose an _art gallery_?"

Colin grinned at his older brother as he stood scowling outside the exhibit. "I'll never stop trying."

Bradley rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I don't get it. I really don't."

"Which is why I'm taking you. Come on."

With an exaggerated sigh, the blonde trailed after his dark-haired brother. "You're such a girl, Colin. I mean, paintings? Really?"

"Paintings are perfectly manly," objected the boy. "Most famous painters were men."

"That doesn't make them manly."

Colin just shook his head, muttering about stubborn older brothers.

"Colin?"

"What?"

"You have blue paint in your hair."

-Merlin-

It had been a day since the FBI and DOD had discovered what they thought to be the terrorist Pendragon's weakness. Now, the local heads- Anthony Head and Katie McGrath- and a few assistants- Rupert Young and Michelle Ryan, from the FBI, and Eoin Macken and Emilia Fox, from the DOD- were in a conference, discussing how to go about actually using this weakness against the terrorist.

"If James cares about his brother as much as he seems to," Anthony said, leaning forward in his chair, "then he'll probably have him under surveillance. We can't just snatch the kid up- he'd find out and probably get him back before we get Morgan to headquarters. What we need to do is keep James in the dark long enough to bring his brother here and see what he knows and how he can help us."

"And how do you propose we do that?" demanded Katie. "We don't know how closely James is watching him. We have no idea how or when he's doing it. He could be doing anything from hacking into the campus security cameras occasionally or planting cameras and agents everywhere the boy goes."

There was a long silence as the agents attempted to think of a solution to this problem.

"I've got it!" crowed Eoin suddenly.

Anthony suppressed an eyeroll. He had never known it was possible, before meeting Eoin, to be this irritated by someone.

"Well, this Colin has a job, doesn't he?"

"Yes," growled Anthony. "He works at the library. We just discussed that."

"Well, what if we kidnapped him while he was working there and put someone similar looking in his place?"

It was, Head had to admit, actually a very good idea.

There was, however, one point he felt the need to argue with the man upon. "We are not kidnapping the boy, Macken. We are not criminals. We are merely taking him for questioning."

"If that's how you want to put it," replied the man cheekily with a grin and a shrug.

Anthony hated him so very much.

"I'll begin searching our agents for someone who looks similar to him," stated Michelle coolly, rising from her seat. "I will inform you as soon as I find someone."

-Merlin-

"What happened to your hair anyways?"

"I have no idea," complained Colin. "Must have happened when I was painting earlier. I can't believe Santiago let me leave like this." Santiago Cabrera was Colin's roommate.

Bradley rolled his eyes and took a sip from his glass of Diet Coke. He and his brother, finished with the art gallery, were sitting in a Fuddrucker's. "Are you sure you didn't trip and fall into your paint?"

"I think I would remember that if I did," replied the boy dryly.

"I don't know, Colin, you're so clumsy you'd probably forget such a small incident."

Scowling, the younger man reached for his glass, his sleeve riding up slightly as he did so, revealing the scarred skin underneath. Flushing, he quickly pulled the clothing down, but not before it caught Bradley's eye. The blond's good mood evaporated instantly.

"Bradley," said his brother with a sigh. "That was a long time ago. You don't need to get all upset over it."

The blond man made no reply, just scowled at his glass, pushing at it with a finger.

Colin fell silent, biting his lip as he did his best not to remember that time. He had never told Bradley, but his brother had been the reason the cutting had stopped.

He suspected Bradley knew anyways- for someone who could be such an emotionless lump of wood, he was quite skilled at reading others' feelings.

There was a long moment of awkward silence. Colin knew his brother well enough to know that it would be this way for the rest of the meal. "Well," he said slowly, "I'd better get going. I have work in two hours." Standing, he nodded to the blond man. "Good seeing you again," he murmured with a small smile, and, turning, practically fled the restaurant.

-Merlin-

"So, Eoin, you'll go in and spill ketchup on him. Get him out of there and into the bathroom. Then-"

"Anthony, I've found someone," called Michelle, bursting in. Anthony bit his lip in frustration. The woman had no respect for authority.

"Who is it?"

"Leander Deeny."

Rupert's eyes widened and Anthony groaned. "You have got to be kidding me," the director complained. "There must be someone else."

"Why? Who's Leander Deeny?" inquired Katie.

"The most boring person to ever exist," replied Anthony with a scowl. "The man makes jokes about brass."

"He's the closest match we have within a hundred miles," stated Michelle, a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"Fine," sighed Anthony. "Contact him and get him ready. Morgan starts work in less than two hours."

-Merlin-

Colin ran his fingers through his partially blue hair as he made his way up the steps of the public library. He probably looked ridiculous, but he hadn't had enough time to return home and wash it out. He was going to kill Santiago for letting him leave the dorms like this.

Pushing open the door of the library, he made his way toward the checkout desk.

-Merlin-

"Everyone clear on what's happening?" demanded Emilia.

She was answered with sighs and eyerolls.

"We've only gone over it twenty times," complained Eoin Macken, dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and light jacket. He held a hot dog smothered in ketchup and an open can of Sprite.

"I understand it perfectly, ma'am," replied Leander ostentatiously. He was wearing a wig of dark hair, along with blue contacts and a shirt, jeans, and scarf. More eyerolls.

"Katie," spoke up Laura, one of the DOD's technicians, as she sat gazing at a computer screen. "Uh… Morgan's hair is, um, partially blue."

Katie and Anthony leaned over her shoulder, glancing at the security camera feed. "Get someone to get some paint over here now," barked Anthony.

"On it," replied Rupert, reaching for his radio.

Three minutes later, the blue paint was delivered and splashed in Leander's wig.

"Alright, let's move in," snapped Anthony. "Laura, loop the security cameras. Leander and Rupert, into the men's restroom."

-Merlin-

"Hey, kid, can you tell me where the movies are?"

Colin looked up to see a ketchup-covered hot dog looming dangerously over his face. Behind it was a grinning young man with long, dark hair.

"Um, they're over there, behind the children's books," replied the boy, pointing to his right.

"Thanks, man. Nice hair, by the way." The young man made to clap him on the shoulder. Unfortunately, he seemed to have forgotten the fact that he was holding a hot dog, and dropped it, smearing ketchup all over the front of Colin's shirt.

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry!" exclaimed the agent. The boy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As if his day could get any worse. First the blue hair, then Bradley going into his funk, and now this.

"It's fine," he said with a sigh, even managing a small grin. "I'll just go wash it off."

Standing, he quickly made his way to the restrooms at the back of the building.

Colin shoved open the door.

The minute he stepped inside, he felt himself seized from behind and a heavily scented cloth was pressed firmly over his nose and mouth.

The boy tried to struggle, but with the drug quickly entering his system, it was futile. Within seconds, he had slumped unconscious in his captor's arms.

Meanwhile, Leander hurried out of the bathroom in Colin's place, and, a block away from the library, a motionless, insensible body was loaded into the back of a van.

And Bradley watched the security cameras, unaware of the exchange that had just taken place.

**A/N: This chapter was based heavily on ****_24 _****as well, but after this the story should be pretty original. I'm also aware that it was on the short side, but I'm still setting the stage before it really gets going.**

**I'm going to be honest- I have no idea where I'm going with this story. I have vague plans for the next few chapters, but nothing beyond that. What would people like to see? Also, are there any pairings people would like to see in this story, or should I keep it romance-free?**

**Please review! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You guys are amazing. Really. I mean, 26 reviews, 47 follows, and 16 favorites for ****two chapters****? I love you all so much! xp *hands out virtual cookies because you guys so deserve them* xD**

**I realized I mixed the agencies up in the last chapter. Let me say it here real quick to clear it up-**

**The director of the local branch of the DOD is Anthony Head (Uther). The assistant director is Rupert Young (Leon). Michelle Ryan (Nimueh) and Leander Deeny (George) are also part of the DOD.**

**The director of the local branch of the FBI is Katie McGrath (Morgana). The assistant director is Eoin Macken (Gwaine). Laura Donnelly (Freya- I think this is her last name, but I'm too lazy to double check right now xp) and Emilia Fox (Morgause) are also with the FBI.**

**Sorry about that! =(**

**Just in case you don't know….**

**Elena- Georgia King**

**Gilli- Harry Melling**

**Mordred- Alexander Vlahos**

**Elyan- I named him Elliot Coulby in this story. This isn't the actor's name, however.**

Chapter 3

Colin's day was really sucking.

He woke up in the back of a van, sprawled out on the floor. The sides of the van were lined with computers and screens. At one computer sat a pretty girl about his age, dark hair twisted back into a bun and lips puckered in concentration, the keyboard clacking at she typed.

He turned his head slowly, moaning as his head throbbed. The girl whirled around and, upon seeing him, cried out, "He's awake!"

Colin squinted, struggling to recall what had happened.

"Hey, man." A face thrust itself into his line of vision.

Suddenly Colin's memory came rushing back.

"You!" he gasped. "What- where- you kidnapped me!" he exclaimed indignantly. Glancing down, he added with a scowl, "And I'm still covered in ketchup, because apparently you couldn't wait for me to get that off before knocking me out."

The man scratched the back of his head, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "Eh… uh, sorry 'bout that, man. Kind of had to do it, you know? My job and all that. Name's Eoin, by the way. Eoin Macken."

Colin shook his head disgustedly. "What's going on? Where am I?" He supposed he should probably be freaking out and demanding to know what was going on and why they had kidnapped him, but he was tired, and his head ached from the chloroform, and he couldn't bring himself to particularly care.

"Well," said the other man slowly, "I'm not sure how much I'm authorized to tell you, but I can tell you that we're with the local branch of the FBI."

"The government?" cried Colin, eyes widening. Oh, he cared now. "But I haven't done anything! I'm innocent!" His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is this about my father?"

"What? I don't know anything about your father, kid. This is about your brother."

"Bradley?" Confusion overcame the boy. "What do you mean? I don't understand."

"I'm afraid I don't have the authority to say anything more," replied the agent apologetically, sitting back on his heels so that Colin could only see his forehead.

A twisted knot of dread and sickening fear had formed in the young man's stomach. Bradley hadn't done anything wrong, he reassured himself. He wouldn't.

Or would he? Memories sprang to Colin's mind- tiny instances in which Bradley wouldn't tell him what he was texting Angel's brother about, or Tom became quiet when asked what he'd done that weekend, or Angel didn't look surprised by the TV news. Could it be?

No, he told himself. No, you're wrong. This probably is about Dad, and they're just trying to get to your head. Bradley would never do such a thing, not after what had happened with their parents. Colin's brother was the one who had saved him, had pulled him out of that downward spiral of depression. He'd never betray Colin in such a way, and Colin should be ashamed that the thought had even entered his head.

Yet, at the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder…

-Merlin-

Bradley sat at his desk, head bowed down, chin propped on his fist.

He glanced at his watch.

3:21.05

Tom Hopper, Bradley's closest friend after Colin and partner in crime, slipped into the room. "We're going now."

He didn't move. "Alright. Let me know when it's been hit."

Tom gave a brief nod, then murmured, "You ok?"

The other man knew that Tom must be truly concerned; Hopper was a man of very few words. But, as good a friend as Tom was, Bradley did not want to speak to him about the memories, and his fellow criminal had a mission now anyways. So he forced a smile and nodded.

"Colin alright?" asked the big man. He knew Bradley too well, knew there was only one thing (or rather, person) that could make him this moody. Even the arrest of Angel, his girlfriend, had been greeted stoically and calmly.

Bradley nodded, sitting up a little. "Yeah, I-"

The door burst open and Georgia King dashed in, crying, "Bradley!"

She never called Bradley by his name unless it was an emergency. "What is it?" exclaimed the terrorist, rising.

"It's Colin," she gasped, out of breath. "Come and see."

Bradley dashed from his office and into the main room of the abandoned warehouse that served as the terrorists' headquarters, Georgia and Tom on his heels.

The blond threw himself into Georgia's chair by her desk. On her computer screen was the footage from the library Colin worked at. Bradley's little brother was sitting at the checkout desk, scanning books for an elderly woman. The time read 2:57.43.

"I- I don't understand. What's the problem?"

"Look." Georgia began to rewind. After a few seconds, she stopped the rewinding and played the video. "Ok, here's Colin, at the desk, at 2:32. Now, watch this… 2:33, guy with great hair and a hot dog and drink comes in. See? Cute guy leans over Colin and, in a move that looks a bit too contrived to me, spills ketchup all down his shirt. Colin gets up, presumably to clean up in the bathroom, right? Now…" She fastforwarded briefly, until she reached 2:39. "Ok, here he is, coming back, shirt much cleaner, right? He sits down. Now, watch this." Georgia paused the video and zoomed in on the young man's face.

Tom and Bradley gasped.

The boy was not Colin.

"Who is that?" demanded Bradley, eyes wide.

Georgia shook her head, her lips pursed. "I don't know. I put Harry on it."

The blond nodded stiffly, running a hand over his mouth. "I don't suppose you have footage of the restrooms?"

"No, but I have some from right outside it. There's nothing."

"Nothing?" repeated Bradley.

"No, nothing. No one went in or out."

"Check the security cameras outside the building."

"Already did. Nothing there."

"No!" screamed Bradley, kicking the desk. He sank to the floor, head in his hands. All he could think was, I promised I'd look after him. I promised him it wouldn't happen again. And now he had no idea where Colin was or who had kidnapped him.

"James! James, come here!" howled a voice. Harry.

The man shot to his feet and dashed over to the younger man's desk.

"What is it? What have you found?" demanded Bradley. "Who is he?"

Harry grimaced. "You're not going to like this, James."

"Just show me!" barked the terrorist.

The young man turned the screen to face the other man, and Bradley gave another sharp gasp, followed by a low moan.

"What is it? Who's got him?" exclaimed Georgia, rushing over.

"The Department of Defense."

Several very unladylike words that expressed how Bradley was feeling very well escaped the young woman's lips.

"Hopper," said Bradley hoarsely, "your mission. I want it carried out now. Go!"

Tom gave a quick nod and left surprisingly silently for a man of his size.

"Where is Alexander?" demanded Bradley, running a shaking hand through his hair. The government had Colin. The government had his little brother.

It was their father all over again.

"I'll call him," said Harry quickly, rising from his chair and pulling his cellphone from his jeans pocket. He quickly scrolled to the man's number and dialled.

"Let me talk to him," ordered the blond man, holding out his hand for the phone. Upon receiving it, he lifted it to his ear just in time to hear a young man's voice saying, "This is Alexander."

"It's James," barked out Bradley.

"Oh. What's going on?"

"Do you remember the plan we discussed recently? The very large-scale one?"

A pause for a moment, then a cautious, "Yes. Why?"

"How long do you think it would take until we could implement it?"

There was a long shocked silence. Finally, Alexander gave a strangled, "Two weeks, maybe three."

"Make it two days. Two hours, if possible. Get on it right away."

"I, ah, I'll do my best."

"Is Elliot with you?"

"No, I'm at work. I'll leave now and pick him up on the way."

"Good."

"Bradley… what's this about?"

The other man was silent for a long moment, then let out a breath and practically snarled, "The DOD has Colin."

There was a quick intake of breath on the other end of the line, followed by a long silence. "I see," breathed Alexander at last, his tone shocked. "I'll do everything in my power."

"Thank you." James felt his face heat up a little when his voice cracked on the last word.

"Bradley." Alexander's voice was firm. "We will find him."

"We'd better." He hung up.

"What was that all about?" asked Georgia, frowning.

"Go find a way to contact the DOD and see what they want." Bradley's voice was hoarse. Later he would realize that the roughness was caused by unshead tears. "Harry, you're to give Elliot and Alexander whatever they need when they get here, do you understand?"

The young man nodded vigorously, a slight trace of fear in his face at the cold fierce rage in Bradley's eyes.

"Bradley, what's going on?" demanded Georgia, not one to be intimidated by others.

A wolfish grin spread across the terrorist's face. "We're going to bomb the White House."

-Merlin-

Anthony slid out of the DOD car, Michelle close behind him.

The disguised FBI van pulled up a few meters up the street. Katie, Rupert, and Emilia climbed out of the front. Emilia sauntered to the back of the van (she never just walked, she sauntered or glided) and rapped on it firmly.

"Macken? Donnelly? Is he awake?"

Anthony did not hear the reply, but he assumed it was an affirmation, for the blond agent then said, "Is he contained?"

Evidently the answer was to her satisfaction, for she gripped the handle and pulled the doors open.

The DOD director did not think "contained" was really the best word to describe Morgan at the moment. Eoin had a grip on the boy, true, and he was managing to keep him under some sort of control, but not much. Colin was struggling, kicking, throwing his head backward, and screaming at the top of his lungs, demanding to know what was going on and wasn't this against the Bill of Rights and that he get a lawyer right now. Macken had the boy by the wrists and was attempting to jerk him into the FBI headquarters and avoid the vicious kicks at the same time. Laura Donnelly climbed out after them, careful to keep her distance.

"Hey!" snapped Katie. "Hey! Macken, stop it, you're scaring him!" She dashed up to the boy, apparently unafraid of the wildly lashing appendages. "Colin! Colin, listen to me!"

The young man stilled remarkably quickly, eyeing her and the other agents warily as they approached.

"Listen," said Katie soothingly, "it's all right. We're not arresting you. You aren't in trouble. We just need to ask you a few questions, but we didn't want certain people knowing we were taking you in, ok?"

"What sort of questions?" demanded Morgan, not soothed in the slightest. "And who are you trying to hide it from?"

Katie sighed and, to his surprise, glanced at Anthony for help. She had always struck him as an independent woman who didn't like to rely on others, and he was certainly not the best person to turn to when it came to feelings. Nevertheless, he took a step forward and said, "Look, kid, we think you might have information on the terrorist that's been plaguing the city. We think he may be watching you."

"What… oh, Pendragon?" The boy's face was a picture of confusing, fueling Anthony's suspicion that the boy had no idea what his brother was doing. "Why would I?"

"We'll explain it all once we get inside," Head assured him, gripping Morgan's arm.

But Colin pulled away, looking puzzled. "But he- Eoin- told me it was about Brad…" His voice trailed off and his eyes widened. "No. No. You don't think…"

"Colin, maybe we should-" began Katie anxiously.

The boy pulled back, shaking his head, eyes still wide. "You really think that, don't you?" he whispered. "You think my brother is a terrorist."

-Merlin-

**A/N: So what did you think? Please review; your comments are what motivate me! =) Well, that and Merlin and Arthur bromance xp**

**Question for reviewers! What do you think happened in Bradley and Colin's past? Also… who from the show do you think the president is? =)**

**Updates will probably slow down until after the Christmas season, since I'll be busy with the fifty billion college applications I have to do and then with all the stuff we do at Christmas time. After that, however, I'm hoping they'll be a lot more frequent (if the story's not over yet)- at least once a week- since I'm in senior year and will be on easy street xp.**

**Also, to the guest reviewers (there are a lot of you; I've never received so many for a story)…**

**Shivs- That's an really interesting idea! I hadn't thought of that. I'm considering it, but I haven't decided whether or not to use it yet. Know that if I decide not to use it, it won't be because of its lack of awesomeness, but because I didn't think it would naturally flow from the story. I usually find when I write that my stories take on a mind of their own and I don't exactly exert much conscious control over them, if that makes sense. xp Thanks for your input! **

**Maple Aiden- Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you're excited about this story! =)**

**Norly- Yes, I do intend to explain the whole thing eventually, just not quite yet. Gotta have lots of suspense, right? xp I don't plan on doing much torturing, don't worry. And I do plan on doing lots of protective and worried Arthur, I love writing that. =) Thank you for reviewing, it means a lot to me! =)**

**Guest- Have no fear, I do intend to keep going. I'm really enjoying writing this story. =) I may do a little romance later, but there probably won't be much. It's not really a romance-ish story, you know? It's more about Arthur and Merlin and their brotherhood xp Thanks so much for reviewing! =)**


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